The station has also stated that there is currently tension in Baidoa and that all communication had been shut down. The federal government has yet to comment on the issue.

The repeated postponement of the regional polls had partly been blamed on federal government machinations to impede Robow’s political ambitions.

He had risen as high as the deputy leader of Al-Shabaab, a group that continually carries out suicide attacks especially in Mogadishu. They also hold large swathes of territory in parts of the country.

Mukhtar Robow was officially cleared by the South West State Electoral Commission to contest in the 19 December elections despite early protest by the Federal government seeking to have him barred #Somalia